A new New York Times/Siena College poll shows former President Donald Trump pulling ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris by a slim margin. Recent data indicates Trump polling at 48%, with Harris trailing by one point at 47%, while 6% of voters remain undecided. The poll, conducted from September 3 to September 6, surveyed 1,695 registered voters nationwide and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points for the likely electorate and plus or minus 2.6 percentage points for registered voters. When including voters leaning toward third-party candidates, Trump’s support drops to 46%, yet he maintains a two-point lead over Harris, who stands at 44%, with 4% undecided.
Additionally, 2% of voters support Green Party candidate Jill Stein and Libertarian Party candidate Chase Oliver. Without including leaning voters, Trump holds 44% of the vote, Harris has 42%, 7% are undecided, 3% refuse to vote, and 2% support each Stein and Oliver. In late August, journalist and author Mark Halperin commented that the Democratic Party may face a “scary position” as battleground state polling shows Harris “well within the margin of error.” Halperin suggested Harris might appear ahead on paper but remains vulnerable in key states, projecting that Trump could pull ahead based on current trends.
Kamala Harris, the US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate, has been scrutinized for initially avoiding detailed press interviews and lacking a full policy platform on her website. As she unveiled her policies, such as economic goals on housing and tax credits, she encountered major pushback from pundits. Critics have particularly targeted her proposal for a federal ban on “corporate price gouging” to lower grocery prices, claiming it could result in higher prices and black markets.
Despite finally sitting for an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash alongside running mate Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris struggled to explain why her campaign aides have reversed positions on several far-left policies she supported during her 2020 presidential run. While both Trump and Harris are viewed as “very unfavorable” candidates by the majority of voters, the poll reveals that voters believe Trump would perform better on the economy and immigration. Specifically, 56% think Trump would handle the economy better than Harris, and 53% believe he would manage immigration more effectively. Conversely, 55% think Harris would handle abortion issues better.
Of the 1,374 voters who completed the survey, 21% cited the economy as their top concern for the November election, followed by 14% prioritizing abortion, 12% immigration, and 7% inflation and cost of living. Additionally, voters attribute “some blame” to Harris for rising prices, border issues, and the botched Afghanistan withdrawal.
